This invention generally relates to holders for pump-type bottles, and more particularly to a bottle holder for use on a moving vehicle such as an aircraft.
Recently, liquid hand soaps have become increasingly popular as consumers recognize the convenience, comfort and effectiveness of liquid soaps as compared to bar soaps. Liquid soaps are especially desirable in public facilities, where dispensed liquid soaps are generally more sanitary than shared bar soaps. Liquid soaps are typically dispensed using a pump-type or other suitable dispenser, as may be readily found in public and private restrooms throughout the country. One common type of soap dispenser includes a bottle portion that acts as a reservoir for soap that is provided via a pump-type dispenser. Liquid hand soaps and pump-type dispensers are provided by the Dial Corporation of Scottsdale, Ariz., and by other vendors.
Hand soaps have also become widely-used in lavatories for certain vehicles, including aircraft, buses, watercraft and the like. Frequently, the confined space of a vehicle lavatory restricts the use of large, commercial-type soap dispensers. It is not generally practical to re-design the lavatory to accommodate a large integrated dispenser, since aircraft design changes typically require airworthiness certification by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) or another governing body. Accordingly, conventional pump-type soap dispensers are commonly used in many aircraft lavatories. Although such dispensers are compact and readily available, conventional bottle-type dispensers are typically relatively difficult to anchor to the surrounding facilities. Accordingly, the dispenser may easily become misplaced or stolen.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a holder to maintain the dispenser in a desired position. Such a holder should be easy to fabricate and install in the aircraft, should be readily implemented in existing lavatories and should be adjustable to accommodate bottles and/or dispensers of various sizes.
In accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a holder for a pump-type bottle dispenser includes a base section and an adjustable section capable of moving with respect to each other to adapt to dispenser size and/or shape. The adjustable section suitably includes a neck or other extension that supports the neck of the dispenser, and the bottom of the dispenser rests upon the base member as appropriate. The adjustable section is held in place with respect to the base section by a locking mechanism that may include teeth or other extensions on one of the sections that interface with indentations in the other section to provide a lock against further movement. A post or other support may also be provided to secure the holder against a sink, countertop or other support.
These and other aspects of the invention shall become more apparent when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures and the attached detailed description of exemplary embodiments.